Evacuation Preparation

No one wants to think that a disaster would ever strike, but we should all be prepared in case it ever does. With some easy tips, you can set your mink at ease.
1. Talk with your family about natural disasters (in a friendly, non-specific way) and develop a family evacuation plan.
2. Designate a friend or relative in another part of the country to serve as contact.
3. Prepare your path out of the city and locate key relatives or friends to stay with, as well as animal shelters that will house your pet (evacuee shelters will NOT take animals). Also, fill up on gas as early as possible!
4. Keep a Disaster Kit:
• A plastic 12” file box, kept close to the door (in a mud room or coat closet). This file box needs to contain the following:

o Passports
o Birth certificates
o Copies of drivers licenses
o Insurance policies
o Bank account information
o Shot/health records for each family member
o List of medications and medical history on anyone in the family with a medical condition
o Contact information for pharmacies and doctors
o Disc of any computer information that you cannot lose (replace this disc every three months. Make it a habit by pairing it with another household task, such as replacing air filters)
o $200-$300 in cash in an envelope taped to the lid (if electricity goes out, many gas stations and stores cannot process a debit card)

• Three-Day supply of food and water is ideal, but NO ONE does this. Here’s an easy tip: Keep two gallons of water in the car at all times (helps if car overheats, too). Keeping food on hand in a kit never happens, either. Here’s an easy tip: Keep your pantry stocked at all times, or at least a “snack basket” full of healthy snacks that the kids can munch on. In an emergency, take the entire basket to the car or grab items out of it on your way out the door. Think maximum calories, minimum space, and long shelf life (milk in aseptic packaging, protein bars, nuts, dried fruit, turkey and soy jerky—yes, this actually exists).
• Hand-operated flashlight (so cool, they don’t need any batteries at all), propane or battery-operated lantern with extra propane and batteries, and battery-operated radio. This flashlight should be stored in your car at all times, not just in an emergency. No candles, you do NOT want to add the risk of a home fire.
• First Aid Kit that is fully stocked and customized to fit your family’s personal medical needs.

Tips for Tropical Storm Victims:
• Water is the first thing to get polluted. Fill up bathtubs with water (unless you have small children) and your top-loading washing machine (holds and average of 25 gallons). This is the water you will bathe with (sponge baths) and cook with.
• Fill up gallon containers with water for drinking.
• Cook lots of food or stock up on food with a long shelf life. People often grab refrigerated milk, which will expire as soon as electricity is out. Buy milk in aseptic packaging (plastic coated cardboard boxes).